SOL MELIA ANNUAL REPORT 00 COMP

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN
And it is precisely this policy of expansion and adaptation to new technologies
and the increasing demands of a highly competitive market that
forms the basis of our future strategy, aiming to consolidate the more than
80 hotel projects that we have already signed and successfully completing
the e-transformation of the company. As well as these future additions to
the portfolio, over the year 2000 we have added a total of 81 hotels in 11
countries with over 14,000 rooms, creating more than 3,000 jobs.
Our ambitious development programme, which will see more than 20,000
new rooms added, equivalent to the total size of some of our most direct
competitors in Spain, will be the cornerstone of the Sol Meliá of the future,
a grand company with a presence in the business and leisure destinations
most popular amongst our European and American clients.
Furthermore, and in line with the trends in the international hotel industry,
the company has reorganised its brand portfolio, reducing it to 4 key
brands, so as to simplify and better segment our hotel products. Tryp
Hotels will include all of our 3 and 4 star city hotels, while Sol Resorts will
include all of our resort properties in the same categories. Meliá Hotels &
Resorts will continue to be associated with superior 4 star and 5 star properties
in both major cities and first class leisure destinations. Paradisus
Resorts, meanwhile, will remain as deluxe “all inclusive” properties in privileged
exotic locations.
Slowly but surely, and not without the occasional difficulty, Sol Meliá is
managing to firmly establish its quality standards and its position as a company
of reference in the hotel business. How is it done Quite simple really:
through the implementation of challenging service, quality, technology and
environmental policies, the launch of an innovative “Everything is Possible”
campaign, the implementation of a Guest Satisfaction Assurance programme,
the constant refurbishment and enlargement of our hotel portfolio, our link
with social organisations and events and, above all, our insistence on placing
the customer at the very heart of our organisation and our belief in our
lemma “your satisfaction, our commitment”.
Guests, shareholders, suppliers, employees and hotel owners are the creators
of the success of a company that is now almost fifty years old. Their
confidence, their efforts and their co-operation will make tomorrow’s
Sol Meliá a truly great company on which the sun never sets and in
which, more than ever, Everything is Possible.
Gabriel Escarrer Juliá
Chairman
S OL
M ELIÁ
A NNUAL R EPORT 2000
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